MRN

So far, a La Crosse city council committee working on new electronic sign
regulations has been in the information gathering phase. Council member
Bob Seaquist is on that committee. Says he's heard plenty about how
distracting and dangerous electronic billboards can be for drivers

La Crosse has a year-long moratorium on electronic signs while the committee
works on the rules. Onalaska and the county are also developing sign
regulations.

La Crosse's congressman among those disappointed about the failure of his
peers this week.

Democrat Ron Kind says his fellow lawmakers missed an opportunity to take
bites out of the nation's debt by not reaching an agreement in the deficit super
committee. He says congress should still try to make bold cuts in
spending. Especially in big dollar areas like defense

But Kind also points to excessive federal medical reimbursements as an area
that requires cutting. But, he says, big money debt cuts also don't come
without more taxes.

Democratic State Senator Kathleen Vinehout says she just learned that
currently only a ten day notice is required by Medicaid for families to be
dropped off the program. She says that is not enough time to find alternative
health insurance. She hopes a new bill she is pushing through will give those
families at least a 60 day notice first.

Are all eyes are on the State of Wisconsin, again? It all started with
Governor Scott Walker scrapping collective bargaining rights, which set off
large scale demonstrations statewide. Then summer recalls of state senators
opened the state back up to the country. Now...if Governor Scott Walker is
recalled......history would be made for the 3rd time......only 2 governor's have
ever been recalled. We asked UW-Lacrosse Political Professor, Joe Heim, if all
eyes are watching again.

And Heim says with the state being opened up like this...it may make some
that wanted to move here or start a business here think twice. Heim says the
state cannot afford that to happen.

School boards across Wisconsin are coming out with employee handbooks to
replace union contracts after the elimination of most collective bargaining
powers for teachers. Some major trends include elimination of seniority
protection and just cause for teacher non renewal. So what's in the Lacrosse
School District handbooks? Too early to tell says Superintendent, Randy Nelson.
But he and the school board are all ears.

The finished product eliminates layoff protections based on seniority and a
provision that the district provide just cause for not renewing a teacher's
contract. Nelson says those changes give the district flexibility in personnel
matters. They should be completed by the end of June.

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